NJTman

When I test drove this new 92, I heard a growling coming from the front of the truck, which I thought might have been a bad wheel bearing. When I inspected the brakes, I came across something .... in the 33 years I've been tinkering around with cars, that I'd never seen.

Check it out. The outer plastic ring has ball bearings or bb's in it that move around in a circle. I'll assume it's some kind of balancing thing a ma bob ? What real purpose other than making me think that I'm hearing grinding....or growling... which is what it sounds like when you spin the thing around.

I don't think I need these any longer..


Anyone ever seen these before ??????



Side View:






Weird gizmo that cannot possibly be original.... right ?

Mark Nixon

Those are dust shields to keep brake dust off nice wheels.
NOT oem to your truck, they are aftermarket.

A lot of newer vehicles use them, though.

They'd work nicely on a set of Aluminum aftermarket wheels, sure cuts down on the cleaning maintenance on those.

Mark.

sokoji

Yeah I have a set that are similar to those. They are for balancing the wheels, and I have them on my 4x4 Toyota in case, while wheeling, my tires get really out of balance. They are supposedly better than lead weights. They look like an early model from these guys http://centramatic.com/Home.aspx .

NJTman

Mark,

Dust shields would be larger and wouldn't be filled with metal *****. They'd just be a metal plate that fit inside the rim.

These things have moving parts in them.

EDIT..... I knew someone had seem these before ! Wheel balancers.

I guess if my steering wheel starts bouncing around on the highway, I'm putting them back in.

I guess I can get used to the growling noise.


T.

S.TX.MEGA

Centramatic wheel balancers. Google them.

sokoji

I only notice the growling sound when I'm driving slowly, almost like my brakes are dragging. But when I'm at speed I can't hear them at all.

Mark Nixon

Wheel balancers, huh?
Never saw such a retarded thing.

I'm betting that you're going to be pulling your hair out very soon.

Mark.

NJTman

Thanks !

That's it...

Crossy's son

yea I have seen them used before with bigger tires and stuff....never on a stock truck though lol.

Just take them out and go have the wheels/tires balanced the conventional way at a shop

NJTman

I'll keep them for when I put a 10" lift in it and 48" tires on her. That will help me out tremendously !

j/k





T.

Polaraco

Been around for decades

Mark Nixon

Regardless, that doesn't omit the fact that I have never seen them before this.

Mark.

maybe368

If you take those off, won't the tire lose balance? I would check for any weights...Mark

torquefan

Yep, Centramatics. I've never owned any but have seen them before. Have read several favorable comments on here about them too. They are supposed to be much better than the common clip-on weights for keeping tires smoothly in balance, especially large trouble-prone tires like mudders. If they were mine, I'd keep them on and just keep an eye out for vibrations or such. You might end up thinking they are a great improvement. At any rate, keep us posted on your impressions of them; at least they'll keep you from having to spend money on periodic balancing.

Another thing I'd like to try is the balancing beads that go right inside the tire. Some really swear by them. I could sure do without those clip-on lead weights marring and corroding the aluminum wheels on my car.

Richie O

I started running liquid in my heavy truck tires. Before that we used the powder. Things like that, and the balencers you have is they balance every time you take off. It balances the entire hub/wheel assembly as stuff changes over time.